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Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (''República Federativa do Brasil),''is the largest country in South America. Since the mid-21st century Brazil has been an industrial powerhouse with highly advanced aeronautic and electonics manufacturing bases. Brazil was one of the first countries to gain colonies on an extra-solar planet when, alongside China, Russia, the United Commonwealth, and the WEU they helped colonise Gaia. Demographics In the past Brazil has experienced several periods of explosive population growth, the population more than tripled between 1950 and 2005. The introduction of cheap, readily available birth control in the early 21st century combined with several mass off-world migration programmes in the 22nd century have gone some way in reducing overcrowding but Brazil is still one of the most populated countries on Earth with nearly two hundred and forty eight million people living there. For census purposes the Brazillian government recognise five basic ethnic groups - White, Pardo (multiracial), Black, Asian, and Amerindian. The precise breakdown of the population is:- *Pardo - 46.2% *White - 45.3% *Black - 7.8% *Asian - 0.6% *Amerindian - 0.1% Around 76% of the population consider themselves Christians (55% Catholic, 21% Protestant), whilst 19% are recorded as having no religion. The remaining 5% have either declined to register their religion or are a mix of Buddhism, native Spiritism, Islam or Judaism. Sevent nine percent of the population live in urban areas, this figure peaked at over 90% in the mid-21st century but since 2090 there has been a growing "back to the rural" movement which has encouraged the growth of smaller villages. Economy The Brazilian economy is one of the most diverse in the world with numerous sectors including aerospace, agriculture, heavy industry, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. Despite considerable growth since the early 22nd century, foreign investment in Brazil has been limited due to continuing concerns over corruption and organised crime. Aerospace Brazil is home to Embraer Interplanetary, one of the largest aerospace companies in existence. Embraer directly employs over twenty five thousand people with another thirty eight thousand employed by various supplier. Embraer has designed and built some of the most successful commercial aerospace craft of the last 100 years including the Manta gas skimmer and the EMB-430 Cometa series of torchships. As well as spacecraft Embraer also build a number of atmospheric aircraft including long haul wide bodies and smaller business jets. Embraer is also responsible for the production and maintainance of the Brazilian military's aerospace craft including the licensed production of the J-19 Sparrow fighter. Mining and Asteroid Mining Brazil has huge reserves of mineral resources including bauxite, copper, gold, Iron nickle, tin, and uranium. Very little of this is exploited however as much of it lies beneath the Amazonian Nature Reserve. Brazilian companies are considered amongst the most successful when it comes to asteroid mining, several companies have outposts in the asteroid belt from where they send processed metal back to Earth. Agriculture Brazil was once a major agricultural producer, it was the world's largest exporter of several agricultural products including coffee, soyabeans, and beef. Since the 2200's however the bulk of the countries food needs have been imported from Gaia and Ciamverde with only around 20% of the countries food been produced on Earth. Much of the former farmland has been allowed to return to its original forested state. Most of the remaining farms are used to produce cash crops such as citrus fruits, coffee, and jabuticaba fruit. Energy Despite huge potential for renewable energy Brazil generates over 97% of it's energy needs from fusion reactors, the highest of any major country, with one hundred and seven reactors located in forty eight plants across the country. The remaining needs are met by several off-shore wind farms and countless localised micro-generating plants. Military Space Navy (Marinha Brasileira Espaço) The Brazilian Space Fleet, universally known simply as a frota (The Fleet), is tasked with defending not only Brazil but also its offworld colonies and large merchant fleet. The pride of the space fleet are the eight examples of the Amazonas-class cruiser, built in the 2370’s but kept at the cutting edge of capabilities thanks to regular upgrades and refits. Although these ships are similar in design to the US Space Navy’s Andrew Jackson-class ships, the Amazonas-class are actually both larger and heavier and carry a much larger weapons fit of sixteen Sago anti-shipping missiles (four sets of quadruple launchers), six 12-round drum launchers for Flecha-A anti-fighter missiles, and six rapid firing lasers. A ninth example was converted into an officers training ship during construction, replacing a 2340’s vintage ship. Aerospace (Forca Força Aeroespacial Brasileira, FAB) The backbone of the FAB is the Stillwell J-19 Sparrow lightweight fighter. Although rejected by the USAF in favour of the FT-28 Lightning VI Stillwell developed their design into a viable product and offered it for sale to a number of nations, Brazil was the first. Over 190 examples have been built by Embraer since 2390 with production continuing for both domestic and export service. In FAB service the Sparrow is armed with a M99 rotary laser and up to six Flecha-B (Arrow) air-to-air missiles. A light strike role is provided by the recent intergration of the Trebuchet multi-role missile along with 250kg laser-guided bombs. The FAB's main strike asset is the vintage FT-20 Thunderbolt which entered service in 2385. Nearly two hundred remain in service the majority upgraded to the FT-20H+ standard with locally developed avionics, communications kit, and ECM. In 2409 the Brazilian government petitioned the USA to purchase between sixty and eighty Wildcat III strike fighters. International Relations Brazil has long standing border disputes two of its three neighbours - the People's Republic of Central America to the North, and Argentina to the South. Between 2318 and 2342 there was an undeclared war been fought in the North as the PRCA repeatedly sent teams of commandos into Brazil. An estimated 2'340 soldiers and over 5'000 civilians were killed in in this conflict and tensions between the two countries remain tense with neither side having direct diplomatic contact with the other. To the South the fighting has almost entirely been in the diplomatic arena since the 2250's with only occassional skirmishes. The disagreements between Argentina and Brazil have mostly been over access to fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves beneath the South Atlantic. Argentina remains upset after Brazil voted in favour of the United Commonwealth retaining control of the Falkland Islands in a UN vote in 2218. Brazil also has a long standing rivalry with the Islamic Republic of Persia over access to mineral rich asteroids in the Asteroid Belt. There have been several clashes between the two countries fleets and both sides have accused the other of piracy. Brazil's main trading partners are the United States and the UOE, who between them account for 63% of Brazil's international trade. Brazil also has defence treaties with both these countries as well as the Asian Co-Prosperity League. Colonies Brazil was one of the founding colonisers of both Gaia and Ciamverde. Brazil's aerospace industry was in fact vital to the whole scheme, the manufacturer Embraer designed and built the braking thrusters on the original drop pods which delivered the first colonists and their supplies onto the planets surface. When the Brazillian government announced that their country was to establish colonies on both Gaia and Cimaverde it was decided that the names of the colonies would be chosen by a draw with the names been proposed by school children from across the country. The eventual winning names were Oportunidade (Opportunity) for the colony on Gaia and Destino (destiny or fate) for the Ciamverde colony. Brazil also has a colony and outpost in the AD Leonis system. The colony of Glória (Glory) on Harpers is gaining a reputation as "the" place for someone to carve out fame and fortune thanks to its rich deposits of gold and other rare minerals. Esforço (Endevour) is the name given to Brazils share of the territory on Addledorf. Category:Nations